Grow Your Own Asparagus

Gardening Basics
I’ve grown just about everything in my suburban backyard garden, but I’ve always avoided asparagus because of its finicky reputation. Heavy feeder. Touchy about soil pH and temperature. Years waiting for the first crop. Inevitable death by fungus. There’s a reason asparagus is so expensive!

Asparagus is a good source of fiber, low in calories and contains a powerful cancer-fighting antioxidant.

But thanks to Carl J. Cantaluppi, there’s an asparagus bed in my spring garden this year. The agricultural extension agent in North Carolina’s Granville and Person Counties, Carl is one of the leading asparagus experts in the u.s. He’s known as the “dean” of “Asparagus School,” a program he founded for commercial growers.

“A lot of people get scared because they think asparagus is hard to grow, but it’s not,” he assures me.

That’s good, because it’s one of the healthiest and tastiest veggies: A 5-ounce serving provides 60 percent of your daily needs for folic acid, a B vitamin linked to lower risk of birth defects and heart disease. It’s a good source of fiber, low in calories (20 per serving) and contains glutathione, a powerful cancer-fighting antioxidant. And the taste of the first crisp green spear in April…well, there was a reason the Roman emperors kept a special fleet of ships for fetching the first spring asparagus.

How to Grow
Unless you’re a purist, forget seeds. Caring for the tiny seedlings is a part-time job. Instead, buy year-old, disease-free crowns from a reputable grower.

The plants come in male and female varieties. The traditional female types — Mary and Martha Washington — have given way to new male hybrids, such as Jersey Giant, Jersey Prince, Jersey Knight, Syn 53, Syn 4-362, UC 157 and Viking KBC. These male plants outyield old female varieties by as much as 3 to 1. Another advantage to the all-male bed: The sprigs stay green until the first frost, allowing more time for photosynthesis or more food for next year’s crop!

Asparagus requires lots of space. Crowns should be planted every foot or so in rows 4 to 5 feet apart. “This delays the onset of fungus disease that comes up in late summer or early fall,” Carl explains.

Fungal infection can be a problem. Asparagus beds may succumb to either asparagus rust or Cercospora needle blight. Regular applications of a fungicide labeled for use on asparagus for these diseases can help in areas with ongoing disease problems.

And yes, when it comes to soil, asparagus is a bit of a fusspot. It likes a sweet (alkaline), well-drained soil in full sun. One thing you don’t want to do…plant it before the soil temperature has warmed up to 50°F unless the crowns are dormant.

It won’t grow at all in some places, like Florida, where it’s too warm and wet for it to go into a necessary dormancy period. On the other hand, it’s drought-tolerant and grows almost while you’re watching it. Your first spears will emerge about a week after you plant the crowns.